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Biotechnology and bioprospecting of Prosopis alpataco from Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract:

Species of the genus Prosopis are distributed worldwide and are widely recognized and studied for their ecological benefits, their adaptability to hostile ecosystems, and their uses as native crops. Prosopis alpataco is an Argentinian native woody species that developed morphological and physiological adaptations that allowed it to colonize xeric environments, such as seed dormancy and secondary metabolites synthesis. This chapter will review the existing information on P. alpataco related to its ancestral uses and the knowledge about its sexual and asexual propagation as a strategy for its conservation and sustainable use. Besides, it will approach the nutritional composition and bioprospecting of its pods with potential applications in the pharmacological and nutritional industry. The study of native species can generate the necessary knowledge to find new bioproducts and characterize potential sources of food and medicine. Consequently, these characterizations give an additional value to the native flora, which has a positive impact on people’s lives.